Entertainment

The James Bond Films: A Look Back At the History of 007

T he film series about British Espionage is one of the most recognizable icons in the international mainstream. What started as a mere novel series about a British secret service agent has evolved into a film series spanning 25 films and grossing over 7 billion dollars. Within the 60 years of its existence, over 7 actors have donned the role of the iconic 007 and have recorded a rich history that is definitely worth looking back on and that is exactly what we are going to do here.

Here is a brief rundown of the history of James Bond.

The Classic Era

Sean Connery was the first to take up the mantle of 007 and for a lot of us (especially the older population), he is the first person to come to mind when we think of the character of James bond. The actor appeared in a total of 7 Bond films, and most of them happened between the period of 1962 to 1971. These include Dr.No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever.

These movies were all pivotal in launching James Bond into the global icon it is today. However, it is important to note that between You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever, there was another Bond film that did not have Sean Connery. This was On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and it starred another actor named George Lazenby. The last time Sean Connery graced our screen with his class and unbridled charisma was in 1983 when he returned in Never Say Never Again before hanging the cape for good.

Roger Moore Wears the Bow tie

Another one of the more recognizable James Bond actors and a lot of that has to do with his longevity, Roger Moore had charmed us for over 12 years as the character. He appeared in the movies Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and A View To Kill. Moore’s era eventually ended in 1985 owing to his age and remains to this day the oldest Bond Actor to date.

Timothy Dalton and a Much More Darker Bond

In 1987, after a lot of consideration, Timothy Dalton was chosen to succeed Roger Moore. His era was marked by a much darker and serious approach to Bond that was very much distinct from the past iterations of the role. However, he could only garner up to two films for his portfolio, The Living Daylights and License To Kill, as much of his era was plagued by a legal battle between MGM and United Arts over the rights of James Bond.

The Modern Era

Pierce Brosnan was seriously considered as a legitimate replacement to Roger Moore before Timothy Dalton but was eventually dropped. His time still came after a while and his interpretation of James Bond dominated screens for much of the 90s. His movies were a mixed bag in terms of reviews but were an amazing financial success grossing over 400 million dollars at the box office. His Bond filmography includes GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day -the last one is still considered one of the worst Bond films of all time.

Pierce Brosnan was dropped after Die Another Day and then we get to the current James Bond, Daniel Craig. His era marked not only a reboot to the entire franchise of Bond but also an action-packed interpretation of the Bond movies. This formula worked because these movies are one of the highest-grossing Bond films of all time. His portfolio of films includes Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Specter, and the final of his films, No Time To Die which was released in October 2021.

… So What's Next?

So, this was all the James Bond films: a look back into the history of 007. One thing to note about all of these films is that James Bond just looks about the same. A dark-haired white male with a cleft chin and slicked-back hair. A long call for casting is that of Idris Elba, which if made, would be the first-ever black James Bond. There has also been a lot of talk about a female Bond. However, only time will tell who will next hold the mini pistol.